STOCKTON, Calif. -
The UNLV softball team (24-16) dropped a pair of games Sunday in the Pacific Mini Tournament in Stockton, Calif. The Rebels fought back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead against Sacramento State, but the Hornets managed to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 4-3 final. In the second contest, the host Pacific Tigers shut out UNLV in a run-ruled five-inning affair. The Tigers won by an 8-0 margin.

In game one, Sacramento State pushed out to a 2-0 lead with help from wild pitches uncorked by UNLV starter Heather Slettvett in the first and second innings.

The Rebels finally got the offense going in the fifth inning with a two-out solo home run by Jaci Hull to left center.

UNLV knotted the score at 2-2 in the sixth on an RBI-single by Caitlyn Paus. Brittany Bolinger led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a passed ball. Brittany Meade hit a deep fly to right that allowed Bolinger to move to third. Paus then came up and delivered the two-out single.

Hull gave the Rebels their first lead of the day with her second solo home run. Hull's two-out shot sailed over the center field fence.

After giving up Hull's blast, Kayla Meeks (4-8) helped herself out by depositing Slettvet's offering over the left field fence to tie the game at 3-3. Amy McKenzie followed Meeks and reached first on a throwing error by Hull at short. Andrea Sherrill pushed McKenzie into scoring position with a single through the right side. Christie Robinson was then summoned from the bullpen in relief of Slettvet. Robinson surrendered a single to Melissa Cross to the left side that Hull dove to save from rolling into left field. With the bases loaded Robinson got a fielder's choice ground out to get the lead runner at home and followed that with a strike out. Whitney Loomis came up big for the Hornets as she laced a line drive single up the middle to knock home the winning run.

Slettvet (6-5) suffered the loss as she gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits in 6.0 innings of work. She struck out three and walked four.

Robinson allowed two hits and fanned one in 0.2 innings of relief.

Meeks (4-8) notched the win in complete game fashion. She allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, while walking two.

In game two, Pacific jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and added three more in the fourth for its eight-run cushion.

The Tigers, who were playing as the visitor in the game, scored one run in the top of the first on a single by Lauren Weyman. When Weyman came up to bat, Pacific had runners in scoring position following back-to-back walks and a throwing error by Rosa Ordaz behind the plate.

In the second, Pacific got a lead off home run from Briana Santos from a pitch thrown by Stephanie Bregante. After the first out of the inning was recorded, the Tigers strung together consecutive singles before Gina Carbonatto smashed a three-run shot to right.

Pacific plated three more in the fourth off of Casey Thompson. The Tigers got a one-out single by Vianney Campos. Before Carbonatto singled to put two runners on the bases, Campos stole second. Campos and Carbonatto then executed a double steal and Campos wound up scoring on an errant throw by Laura Briones to third. With Carbonatto on second, Lizzie Hagen then cleared the bases with a two-run shot to center.

Alyce Jorgensen (6-2) tossed a two-hitter for the win. Jorgensen tossed 5.0 innings and struck out 11, while walking two.

Bregante (7-6) suffered the loss in 1.1 innings. She allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, while striking out two and walking two.

Thompson tossed the final 3.2 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

UNLV has next weekend off before entering Mountain West Conference play against Utah and BYU on April 5-7. Utah comes to town on the 5th for a televised doubleheader. The game can be seen on The Mtn. and will begin at 5:00 pm. BYU will play single games on the 6th (7:00 pm) and 7th (2:00 pm).